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Plants In
Bloom |
| The following is a running account of campus shrubs and plantings as they begin to flower. Check back regularly to get up to date reports as the campus comes into bloom. |
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Steve
if you have questions
11/10/08 On the south side of the Main St entrance to the D&M Building are two shrubs with outstanding fall foliage. The larger of the two, an 'Erie' Viburnum {V. dilatatum 'Erie'} has many shades of red fading to a rich mahogany. The Dwarf Fothergilla {F. gardenii} in the corrner is a much brighter orange with highlights of red and yellow.
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| 'Erie' Viburnum | Dwarf Fothergilla |
10/23/08 In front of the north side of the D & M Building on Main Street are several Common Witchhazels {Hammamelis virginiana} that are our last shrub to bloom each fall. The small yellow flowers are easier to see once the leaves drop. This is a very common plant in the understory of our local forests.
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| Witchhazel Flower |
10/20/08 On the bank on the south side of the Silver Center is a large group of Korean Mountain Ash {Sorbus alnifolia} with varying shades of fall foliage from yellow to orange to red. The coral colored fruit will not be visible until the foliage drops. Behind the Russell House is our largest Flowering Dogwood {Cornus florida} that is dropping its red fall foliage to reveal its outstanding red fruit.
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| Korean Mountain Ash | Flowering Dogwood |
10/10/08
In the bed outside the main entrance to Memorial Hall is a group of Highbush Blueberries {Vaccinium corymbosum} that have turned a lovely shade of red. These plants are my favorite 'edible ornamental', attractive flowers, shiny summer foliage, delicious fruit, and now outstanding fall foliage. In front of D&M on Main St are several 'Brilliant' Red Chokeberries {Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliantissima'} that have large amounts of red fruit and their foliage is just beginning to turn red with an intensity that rivals all other shrubs. Outside the west entrance to the HUB is an 'Early Amethyst' Purple Beautyberry {Callicarpa dichotoma} whose fruit has turned purple. This is a shrub with borderline hardiness so we treat it as a perennial, we cut it to the ground each fall and it grows to its present size of five feet high and wide each growing season. Behind the Counseling Center is a White Japanese Beautyberry {Callicarpa japonica 'Leucocarpa} that is similar to the above only with white fruit.
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| Highbush Blueberries | 'Brilliant' Red Chokeberries | 'Early Amethyst' Purple Beautyberry | White Japanese Beautyberry |
10/3/08 At the northwest corner of the Silver Center is a group of three Sourwood Trees {Oxydendron arboreum} that have gorgeous red foliage and are still displaying their pendulous seed clusters. This is one of our best multi-season ornamental trees, flowers in July, fall foliage in October and the pendulous seed clusters from August well into winter. Also called Sorrel Tree and Lily-of-the-Valley Tree.
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| Sourwood Trees |
10/2/08 In the islands of the Hyde Hall parking lot are three White Ash {Fraxinus americana} that have turned a very attractive deep red. These trees have grown extremely well since being planted in a location surrounded by pavement. In several locations on both sides of Highland St, are large plantings of Dwarf Korean Lilac {Syringa meyeri 'Palibin'} that have turned a very deep purple. By far the best fall color of any Lilac. On both sides of the Silver Center's parking lot are several 'Centurion' Crabapples {Malus 'Centurion'} with very glossy red fruit.
9/25/08 In front of Prospect Hall is a large group of 'Henry's Garnet' Virginia Sweetspire {Itea virginiana 'Henry's Garnet'} that has turned a deep red and will hold this color into November. This award winning plant is one of our best shrubs for long lasting fall color. The flowers were described in the June 17 entry.
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| 'Henry's Garnet' Virginia Sweetspire |
9/17/08 In front of Prospect Hall are several 'Red Sprite' Winterberries {Ilex verticillata 'Red Sprite'} whose fruit is starting to turn red. Winterberries have spectacular shows of fruit in the fall, often lasting into January. The 'Red Spite' variety is the smallest, rarely growing more than three feet tall. On both sides of the stairs leading to the rear of the Silver Center are several beds of 'Winter Red' Winterberry {Ilex v. 'Winter Red'} that are usually the heaviest bearers of fruit of our different varieties of Winterberry. These plants become even more eye-catching as the leaves drop in October. In the same area just above the circular stairs are three narrow 'Adirondack' Crabapples {Malus 'Adirondack'} whose fruit is ripening to an attractive shade of orange-red.
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| 'Red Sprite' Winterberries | 'Winter Red' Winterberry | 'Adirondack' Crabapples |
9/9/08 In front of Prospect Hall are three 'Golden Glory' Corneliancherry Dogwoods {Cornus mas 'Golden Glory'}, with the most fruit I have yet to see on these small trees. The fruit is a drupe, a type found on many ornamentals with 3 distinct layers, it is red, about 3/4" x 1/2", and somewhat obscured by the foliage. The flowers were described in the April 17 entry.
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| 'Golden Glory' Corneliancherry Dogwoods |
9/5/08 At the northwest corner of Ellen Reed is an 'Erie' Linden Viburnum {V. dilatatum 'Erie'} with a beautiful display of red fruit in large clusters. The foliage will turn a very attractive reddish mahogany color as fall progresses. This was originally described in the June 16 entry. In the same bed is a group of Bush Cinquefoil { Potentilla fruiticosa} that is still blooming with yellow flowers as it has since being described in June 19 entry. In the large bed at the northeast end of the Silver Center is an Umbrella Magnolia {M. tripetala} whose fruit has turned to shades of pink and red. The fruit is the reason one this tree's common names is Cucumbertree. The flowers were described in the May 23 entry.
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| 'Erie' Linden Viburnum | Bush Cinquefoil | Umbrella Magnolia |
8/27/08 Outside the main entrance to Memorial Hall are two large Allegheny Viburnums {V. x rhytidophylloides 'Allegheny'} whose fruit has turned red and will soon mature to black. These plants have coarse textured foliage that is very attractive and semi-evergreen. The flowers were described in the May 20th entry.
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| Allegheny Viburnums |
8/26/08 At the west entrance to the HUB there is a Purple Beautyberry {Callicarpa dichotoma} that is coming into bloom with very small pinkish lavender flowers. As the name implies, this plant is grown for its fruit. During the month of September, if we are free of a hard frost, the fruit will mature to a very attractive lilac-purple and they are held above the foliage for easy viewing.
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| Purple Beautyberry |
8/25/08 In front of the Frost House as well as directly across the street are plantings of Summersweet {Clethra alnifolia} that have very fragrant white flowers and dark green foliage with a spreading habit. This shrub is native to the eastern portion of the country and is prolific in southern New England. At the south east corner of Prospect Hall is a Siebold Viburnum {V.sieboldi} with red fruit turning black. This shrub, trained as single stem tree was originally described on May 28.
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| Summersweet | Siebold Viburnum |
8/5/08 In the islands in the Athletic Center parking lots are several Amur Maples {Acer ginnala} whose seeds are beginning to turn from green to bright red. The seed will eventually turn an attractive silver and will remain on the trees well into winter. The fall foliage on these trees is among the earliest and best of any trees on campus. These trees have spectacular shades of red and orange in mid to late September.
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| Amur Maple Amur Maple seeds |
7/25/08 On Pleasant Street, at the end of the Boyd Hall parking lot, under the Bradford Pear {Pyrus calleryana 'Bradfordi'} are a few Smooth Hydrangeas {H. arborescens 'Annabelle'} that have enormous white flower clusters. They are so large that their stems have trouble supporting them and many are on the ground. We grow this as a herbaceous perennial and cut the stems to the ground in the fall.
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| Smooth Hydrangeas |
7/23/08 In front of the Bagley Center, under the Korean Mountian Ash {Sorbus alnifolia} is a Bottlebrush Buckeye {Aesculus parviflora with spikes of white flowers that are up to 20" tall ! The foliage is deep green and typical of Horsechestnuts with five to seven leaflets. In the fall the foliage turns an attractive yellow. On the west side of the Silver Center are three Sourwood trees {Oxydendron arboreum} that are blooming with pendulous panicles of white flowers, the fruit retains the pendulous shape and lasts well into winter. The leaves come out in the spring an iridescent green and mature into a very attractive deep green, in the fall they turn a wonderful deep red, gorgeous in one season after another.
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| Bottlebrush Buckeye | Bottlebrush flower | Sourwood |
7/16/08 At the entrance to parking lot at the north end of the Silver Center, is a 'Sterling' Silver Linden {Tilia tomentosa 'Sterling'} in full bloom with clusters of very fragrant, yellow, pendulous flower clusters. The tree gets its name from the silver colored undersides of its leaves, the 'Sterling' cultivar has more lustrous foliage and a more pronounced silver underside of the leaves. The flowers are reported to be toxic to honeybees.
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| Silver Linden |
7/14/08 In the west end of the garden outside the HUB snack bar, nestled under the Canadian Hemlocks {Tsuga canadensis}, is a group of Rosebay Rhododendron {R. maximum} that have large trusses of white flowers with a hint of pink. This evergreen species is native to the northeast and once formed the understory to our forests. Rhododendron State Park in Fitzwilliam, N.H. has large stands of Rosebay Rhododendron with walking paths cut through its dense foliage.
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| Rosebay Rhododendron |
7/9/08 Under our Flowering Dogwood {Cornus florida} at the rear entrance to the Russell House is the groundcover Chameleon Plant {Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon'} that has white flowers with yellow stamens and multi-colored foliage. It is a refreshing splash of color in the full shade. In front of the Facilities Services building is a small group of Plumleaf Azaleas {Rhododendron prunifolium} that have reddish flowers at the very end of the Azalea blooming season.A little less flashy than many other Azaleas because it blooms after the leaves are fully developed. At the northwest corner of the Kelly House {Human Resources} is a 'Blue Muffin' Viburnum {V. dentatum 'Blue Muffin'} covered with red fruit and stems that will mature to a nice blue that gives the plant its common name.
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| Chameleon Plant | Plumleaf Azaleas | Blue Muffin fruit (Update from 6/5/08) |
6/26/08 On the north side of the HUB snack bar are 4 Korean Stewartias {S.koreana} in bloom with 3-4" diameter white flowers with yellow centers {stamens} that will bloom for most of July. This tree also has excellent green summer and orange fall foliage as well as patchy exfoliating bark that is very handsome in winter.
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| Stewartia |
6/26/08 In front of the Russell House between the sidewalk and the road is a bed of 'Goldflame' Spiraea {S. x bumalda 'Goldflame'} that has yellowish foliage and pink flowers. The flowers are smaller than the aforementioned 'Anthony Waterer' Spiraea but this variety is more heat tolerant. When this plant leafs out in the spring the color is an intense orange-red-bronze combination that contributes to its name. Like all Spiraeas in the winter it is an unsightly mass of twigs.
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| 'Goldflame' Spiraea |
6/24/08 Along the curb in front of Prospect Hall are several 'Red Sprite' Winterberries {Ilex veticillata 'Red Sprite'} that are blooming along their stems with very small white flowers. We grow this shrub for its fruit; it will have countless red berries along its stems in late September that will remain very attractive well into winter. There is a taller variety of Winterberry in the rear of this bed, 'Winter Red' will flower in a week or so and will also develop a large number of red fruit. This species of Holly is far and away our showiest shrub for a long lasting colorful fruit display in the fall and winter. In front of the Bagley House is a Red Buckeye {Aesculus pavia} in bloom with a spike of red flowers held above the very attractive Horsechestnut foliage. In the same bed is another Horsechestnut species, Bottlebrush Buckeye {A. parviflora} that will bloom in July.
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| 'Red Sprite' Winterberries | Red Buckeye |
6/19/08 On the east side of the Russell House are several Bush Cinquefoil {Potentilla fruiticosa} shrubs in full bloom with light yellow flowers. There are many varieties of this plant, flowers come in white, yellow, pink, and red, though the yellow shades are the most common. It will continue blooming until frost.
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| Bush Cinquefoil |
6/18/08
On Langdon St, just west of the Infirmary [16 Merrill Street] there is our oldest Japanese Tree Lilac {Syringa reticulata} that we have on campus. It is just beginning to bloom with large creamy white panicles up to 12" long. Considered to be the most trouble free Lilac and the best one to plant if you want a single stem tree form.
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| Japanese Tree Lilac |
6/17/08 At the uphill end of the large bed in front of the Lamson Library is a small group of Cutleaf Stephanamdra {S. incis 'Crispa'} that forms a very thick mass of arching stems 2-3' tall. It is flowering now with small light yellow flowers. This is an excellent plant to prevent erosion on steep banks. In the same bed is a large mass of 'Anthony Waterer' Spiraea {S. x bumalda 'Anthony Waterer'} that is 3' tall and coming into bloom with carmine pink flat topped flower clusters. Behind the northwest corner of Prospect Hall are several Drooping Leucothoes {L. fontanesiana} that are blooming with pendulous white flowers partially hidden by the multicolored foliage. The variegated evergreen foliage will rarely winter burn if planted in a sheltered location with little or no winter sun. The new foliage is a nice reddish color and will slowly turn a mottled green through the summer. Leucothoe is a member of the Heath family and the flowers are similar in shape to Blueberries. In front of Prospect Hall is a large planting of 'Henry's Garnet' Virginia Sweetspire {Itea virginiana 'Henry's Garnet} that has white flowers in 6" racemes just opening. The green foliage turns a beautiful wine red in the fall and remains very attractive well into November, the fall foliage is the primary reason I grow Itea, it extends the season by close to a month.
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| Cutleaf Stephanamdra | 'Anthony Waterer' Spiraea | Drooping Leucothoe |
'Henry's Garnet'
Virginia Sweetspire Updated 6/24/08 |
6/16/08 To the left of the Main Street entrance to D & M is an 'Erie' Viburnum {V. dilatatum 'Erie'} in full bloom with large 6" clusters of cream colored flowers above lush green foliage. The flowers will be followed by large clusters of red fruit in the fall and the foliage turns multiple attractive colors for a very effective three season display.
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| 'Erie' Viburnum |
6/12/08
In the large garden on the north side of Memorial Hall are two Flame Azaleas {Rhododendron calendulaceum}, one with yellow flowers the other with orange flowers. This native Azalea comes in a large range of colors and is often used as a parent in hybridizing efforts.
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| Flame Azaleas |
6/10/08 On the south side of Ellen Reed is a 'Varied Directions' European Larch {Larix decidua 'Varied Directions'} with a groundcover of 'Weihenstephaner Gold' Sedum {Sedum floriferum 'W. G."} that is in full bloom with a carpet of bright yellow flowers. These flowers will rebloom soon after we cut off the spent flowers. The "Varied Directions' Larch is a plant developed by Sid Waxman at the University of Connecticut and makes a graceful living sculpture. It is 3-4' tall and 20' wide. The Larch is one of just four deciduous conifers and the needles turn a spectacular soft yellow before dropping each fall.
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| 'Varied Directions' European Larch |
6/9/08 Along the west side of the HUB are several Red-budded Mountain Laurels {Kalmia latifolia} whose buds are different shades of red depending on the variety. These new varieties lengthen the season of interest around their blooming time. This is one of our best shrubs and is native range extends to the shores of Squam Lake in Holderness. It has shiny evergreen foliage and is a reliable bloomer. Along the north side of the Silver Center are several Mountain Laurel plants that were collected in North Carolina and are without any of the red coloration. Growing in the earth filled retaining wall along the parking lot at the north end of the Silver Center is the clinging vine Climbing Hydrangea {H. anomala petiolaris} that has bright green foliage and many 6-10" flat clusters of white flowers. The stems are cinnamon colored and are also attractive when the foliage drops in the fall. Once this vine is established growth of 6' a year is common.
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Red-budded Mountain Laurels Updated 6/23/08 |
Native Mountain Laurels Updated 6/16/08 |
Climbing Hydrangea Updated 6/16/08 |
6/5/08 At the southwest corner of the Counseling Center is our Oyama Magnolia {M. sieboldi} that has white flowers with reddish stamens, before the flowers open they hang down like small eggs. The flowers are best observed from below, this was a popular species to use in Japanese tea cottage gardens where the guests are seated on the floor. At the northeast corner of Hyde Hall there is a White Fringetree {Chionanthus virginicus} in bloom with fringed white flowers. This plant is very late to leaf out, it still appears dormant at graduation and the flowers are followed by lush green summer foliage and nice yellow fall foliage. Our oldest Fringetree campus is at the southeast corner of Hall Hall. At the northwest corner of the Kelly House {Human Resources} is a 'Blue Muffin' Viburnum {V.dentatum} blooming with clusters of white flowers. This plant gets its cultivar name from its display of blue fruit in August.
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| Oyama Magnolia | White Fringetree | 'Blue Muffin' Viburnum |
6/2/08 At the southwest corner of the HUB is a 'Winter King' Hawthorn {Crataegus viridis 'Winter King'} in bloom with clusters of white flowers. This tree has a very nice wide spreading habit and a truly outstanding show of red fruit in the fall and winter. In front of Mary Lyons Hall are three trees {2 European Larches and a Crabapple} with groundcovers around their trunks of Bigroot Geranium {G. macrorrhizum} that has purple flowers above the thick foliage. These plantings eliminate the need for annual mulching and cut way down on the amount of weeding. On both sides of Highland St. by Russell House are large plantings of the Dwarf Korean Lilac {Syringa meyeri 'Palibin'} with deep purple buds that open to fragrant pink to white flowers. This shrub is a dependable bloomer at a very young age.
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| 'Winter King' Hawthorn | Bigroot Geranium | Dwarf Korean Lilac |
5/30/08 Along the north side of HUB Snackbar is a group of 'Nova Zembla' Rhododendrons {R. catawbiense 'Nova Zembla'} that are blooming with large red flower trusses. In front of the Russell House is another planting of Catawba Rhododendron {R. catawbiense} that is coming into bloom with purple flowers. We have many varieties of Catawba Rhododendron on campus, many large plants are on Main St. in front of D&M which are just a few days later coming into bloom. On the east side of Smith Hall is a large multi-stem Amur Maple {Acer ginnala} that has a profusion of flower clusters just opening. There will be a heavy crop of seed that will be red in late August and turn silver in the early winter. The leaves are a very nice bright green all summer and will turn a beautiful scarlet in October. There are several Amur Maples in the islands separating the parking lots at the Athletic Center. At the entrance to Lamson Library are a few Mapleleaf Viburnums {V. acerifolium} that have flat clusters of white flowers.
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| 'Nova Zembla' Rhododendrons | Catawba Rhododendron | Amur Maple | Mapleleaf Viburnums |
5/29/08 At the Infirmary on Merrill St is a bed of Exbury Azaleas {Rhododendron x 'Exbury'} with 'Gibraltar' blooming with orange to red flowers and 'Percil' with yellow flowers. These are not recommended for Zone 4, but with our milder low temperatures of the last few winters they have become much more reliable bloomers. In the large garden on Highland St. between Lamson Library and Belknap Hall is a 'Tricolor' European Beech {Fagus sylvatica 'Roseomarginata'} that has purple leaves with pink margins. The leaf color is very striking; it is planted in the shade because the pink margins tend to burn in full sun. Just across the street at the Bagley House is a Carolina Allspice {Calycanthus floridus} that has fragrant reddish brown blossoms that look like dried flowers. The strawberry-banana-pineapple scent is reportedly stronger in the evening.
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| 'Gibraltar' Exbury Azaleas | 'Percil' Exbury Azaleas | 'Tricolor' European Beech | Carolina Allspice |
5/28/08 In front of the lower end of Prospect Hall is a Siebold Viburnum {V. sieboldi} with white flower clusters. It has very bright green foliage all summer that smells like green peppers. It also has a nice display of fruit that turns red and ripens to black. This shrub usually is grown in a multi-stem habit but also is very adaptable to be trained as a single stem small tree. There is another example at the west entrance to Speare Hall as well as some large multi-stem plants growing along the ramp at Hyde Hall. Along the east facing wall of Pemi Hall is a Redvein Ekianthus {E. campanulatus} that has many small bell shaped pendulous flowers that create a very graceful appearance. The foliage will turn a very attractive red in the fall, another excellent landscape plant in same family as Rhododendron. There are some older examples of Enkianthus in the large garden on the north side of Memorial Hall. Between the Robert Frost House and Blair Hall is a group of Korean Mountain Ash {Sorbus alnifolia} that are blooming with large clusters of white flowers. In the fall there is beautiful coral colored fruit that remains on the tree into early winter and will often make a striking display with the background of an early snow. There is another large group of Korean Mountain Ash on the bank facing the Silver Center as well as our oldest specimen on the south side of Speare Hall. On the east side of Russell House is a 'Shasta' Doublefile Viburnum {V.plicatum var. tomentosum 'Shasta'} with white flowers displayed above the foliage to create the 'Doublefile' effect. The 'Shasta' cultivar is a 1979 introduction from the U.S. National Arboretum.
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| Siebold Viburnum |
Redvein Ekianthus Updated 6/10/08 |
Korean Mountain Ash | 'Shasta' Doublefile Viburnum |
5/23/08 On the north side of Holmes House is a 'Brioti' Horsechestnut {Aesculus x carnea 'Brioti'} that is just coming into bloom with 8-10" spikes of red flowers with yellow throats. These flowers are very flashy and often last up to three weeks. In front of the Bagley House is a Red Buckeye {A. pavia} that is a shrub form and also has red flowers. This is one of the parents of the hybrid that created the 'Brioti' Horsechestnut. In the large bed in front of Memorial Hall is a group of Highbush Blueberries {Vaccinium corymbosum} that has pendulous, bell shaped, cream colored flowers. This is my favorite example of edible landscaping: nice flowers, excellent summer foliage, and striking red fall foliage and of course the wonderful berries to snack on as you walk by. Along the ramp to Hyde Hall is a large planting of Wilson Rhododendron {R. x laetevirens} with flowers that range from white to pink, small leaves, and a fairly low habit. This has become a very dependable bloomer as these plants have aged, they were planted in 1977. In the large garden at the north end of the Silver Center is an Umbrella Magnolia {M. tripetala} that has large cream colored flowers up to 10" across and enormous leaves up to 24" long.
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| 'Brioti' Horsechestnut | Highbush Blueberries | Wilson Rhododendron | Umbrella Magnolia |
5/22/08 In front of the D&M building on Main St. are several 'Brilliant' Red Chokeberries {Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliantissima'} that are blooming with many clusters of white flowers with reddish anthers. The foliage will be a lush green all summer changing to one of the best reds we have in the fall as well as a heavy crop of bright red fruit, an outstanding plant with multiple seasons of interest. On the north side of Court St. is an 'Adirondack' Crabapple {Malus 'Adirondack'} noted for its columnar growth habit and disease resistance, which is completely covered in white flowers, this is by far the best blooming year this tree has ever had. In the far island at the Athletic Center parking lot is a group of Purple Leaf Sand Cherries {Prunus cistena} that is blooming with many small white flowers. This is one of the hardiest shrubs with dark red foliage. Along the stone wall between Belknap Hall and Lamson Library a Carolina Silverbell {Halesia tetraptera} with many bell shaped white flowers along each branch. This tree was planted in the 1980's and repeatedly died back from the cold, the last few years it has grown and flowered. In the large garden at the north end of the Silver Center are two varieties of the Northern Lights series of hardy deciduous Azaleas, 'Rosy Lights' has deep pink flowers, and 'Northern Hi-Lights' has creamy white flowers. In front of the Athletic Center below the ramp to the second level is a 'Jewelberry' Crabapple {Malus 'Jewelberry'} that is a dwarf variety with white flowers. This tree is less than eight feet tall and was planted more than 20 years ago. Above the concrete retaining wall at the Silver Center are a row of 'Tina' Crabapples {Malus sargeti 'Tina'} that are covered in white flowers. These are seedlings of the species Malus sargenti and come true from seed to form very compact dwarf trees rarely taller than six feet.
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| 'Brilliant' Red Chokeberries | 'Adirondack' Crabapple | Purple Leaf Sand Cherries | Carolina Silverbell |